Silver could speak? How could silver speak? Her words were interesting, and the crowd turned to look at Jiang Ruan. The old man, who was stomping his feet in anger, also turned to look at Jiang Ruan in confusion. Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao looked at each other, not knowing what Jiang Ruan was going to do.
The woman almost laughed out loud, and said sarcastically, "Little girl, are you talking nonsense? Could it be that you can make silver speak? If you really have such an ability, quickly open everyone's eyes. If you are talking nonsense, don't let everyone laugh at you."
"Silver can naturally speak." Jiang Ruan said lightly, "I will ask again, this Madam, is the silver really yours?"
"Of course I gave it to Sister Qiao." The woman raised her head and said confidently.
"Good." Jiang Ruan said, "Bai Zhi, go find a basin of water."
The surrounding people did not know what Jiang Ruan was planning, and a roadside vendor said, "I have ready-made water here, I can lend it to Miss."
Bai Zhi brought the basin of water over and placed it neatly at Jiang Ruan's feet.
"Madam, please give me the silver."
The woman looked at Jiang Ruan suspiciously, and the girl clutched the money pouch even tighter.
"If Madam does not give me the silver, how can I ask the silver?" Jiang Ruan said seriously.
As soon as she said this, there was a burst of low laughter. There were more and more people watching the show, and now that this girl with an extraordinary temperament suddenly spoke like this, they could not help but feel pity. She looked like a smart girl, but unexpectedly, there was something wrong with her brain.
Lian Qiao glared at the surrounding crowd, or perhaps it was the crowd's laughter that gave the woman confidence. She took the silver from the girl's hands and handed it to Jiang Ruan, "Here, you have to ask clearly. Everyone, listen up."
Among the people present, besides Jiang Ruan, only three people did not laugh. Needless to say, Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi, the old man only frowned and carefully sized up Jiang Ruan's movements.
Jiang Ruan held the silver in her palm, her face expressionless, but her voice was extremely gentle. She said, "Silver, oh silver, please tell me, who is lying?"
The woman burst into laughter. "Little girl, don't say that I told you about the silver. You're just fooling us. Don't treat us like fools!"
Jiang Ruan did not even spare her a glance. She let go of the silver in her hand and with a 'dong' sound, the silver fell into the basin of water at her feet. The water rippled slightly. She said, "Silver has spoken."
"What do you mean?" The woman was getting impatient. "There are so many pairs of ears. Are you the only one who can hear it?"
"I didn't hear it, I saw it." Jiang Ruan stared at the water.
A curious teenager in the crowd craned his neck and asked, "Did it speak?"
"No?" Jiang Ruan countered with a question. Her small and thin body was wrapped in a large cotton-padded jacket. Although her posture was weak and frail, she appeared to be abnormally firm, as if there was nothing in the world that could shake her calmness and composure.
The surrounding people did not know what was going on. They all looked at the basin, but they could not see anything.
A moment later, someone exclaimed, "Look! There's something in the water! "
On the clear surface of the water, a shallow layer of grease floated up. This golden grease was exceptionally conspicuous on the surface of the water.
Jiang Ruan said, "It's common for the old teacher to rub the vegetable oil on the silver after eating the deep-fried pancake. I just don't know how Madam managed to rub the grease on the silver. Could it be that Madam has only just remembered that she or Qiao jieer also went to buy deep-fried pancakes? "
Her voice was flat and indifferent, but strangely, one could hear the cadence within it. With a single sentence, she had clearly explained the ins and outs of the matter, and at the same time, she had blocked any possible excuses that the woman might have. If the woman continued to argue, it would instead make people feel that she was trying to cover up something that only made things worse.
"So that's how it is!" Someone sighed. "This silver belongs to the old man because he bought deep-fried pancakes and smeared oil on them. Now, the silver can only be seen when it comes into contact with water. Isn't it just the silver that speaks?!"
The crowd discussed spiritedly, and when they looked at Jiang Ruan, they all clicked their tongues in wonder. Such an exquisite and incisive mind, and at such a young age, it was really not worthy of praise.
The old man had been watching Jiang Ruan's every move. Seeing that she had easily and effortlessly cleared his name, he was astonished and naturally overjoyed. The gaze he used to look at Jiang Ruan also softened a little. Unexpectedly, he did not have the stubbornness that previously rejected people a thousand miles away.
The woman who was carrying the little girl still wanted to argue, "Your one-sided statement …"
"Old teacher," Jiang Ruan simply did not listen to the other's words. She turned to the old man and said, "The matter is very simple. Since so many people are unable to make a decision for the old teacher, there is no need to waste time here. Why don't we go to the East Street district magistrate's office and ask around? Perhaps there is someone who can make a decision for the old teacher."
The person who could make a decision in the East Street district magistrate's office was naturally the district magistrate. Since ancient times, the common people did not fight with the officials. Although the people of West Street were xenophobic and this concerned their own family's interests, no one was willing to wade into these muddy waters. The crowd that had originally gathered in a circle immediately dispersed.
The woman saw that the situation was not good. Jiang Ruan had once again changed her previously gentle appearance, and her attitude had become unyielding. Knowing that there was no benefit in continuing to argue, she immediately picked up the little girl and said, "I will not argue with you people. Sister Qiao, let's go."
After the woman left, Jiang Ruan took out the silver from the basin and handed it to the old man. The old man took the silver and looked at Jiang Ruan inquisitively, "Little girl is quite interesting. Which family's young miss are you from?"
"Old teacher is also quite stubborn, but I do not know which family's daren are you from." Jiang Ruan said coldly.
The old man stared blankly. He did not expect that the little girl who had always been helping him would suddenly treat him so coldly. He asked doubtfully, "Do you have any dissatisfaction with this old man?"
"Yes." Jiang Ruan said. Seeing the old man stare blankly again, she then said indifferently, "When encountering such a matter, and the dispute cannot be resolved, Old Teacher should immediately report it to the authorities. Old Teacher has also lived for a long time, so you should know that everything has its limits. If I had not come today, even if Old Teacher had argued here for a whole day, it is not certain that there would be a result. Who knows what kind of crime he would be accused of. "
"You little girl," the old man stiffened his neck, "When I saw you lend a helping hand, I originally thought that you had some chivalrous spirit and courage. Who would have thought that you would be the same as the others. Right and wrong, black and white, naturally must be fought clearly. I am in the right, so I am not afraid of confronting them. "
Jiang Ruan thought for a moment, "That's right. Old Teacher is already so old, yet still arguing with others on the street. Your strength of character is really admirable. Presumably, when you were young, you were also like this, not afraid of power and authority, and always argued when you encountered a problem."
Her expression did not change, and her tone was gentle. For a moment, it was unknown whether her words were praise or derogatory.
"A treasured sword's edge is sharpened, and a plum blossom's fragrance comes from the bitter cold. Old Teacher's strength of character is very similar to this red plum blossom. Baizhi, by giving this red plum blossom to Old Teacher, it can also be considered as completing a portion of fate." Jiang Ruan smiled slightly.
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